Francisco and Jacinta Marto were young shepherd children from Fatima, Portugal, who in 1917 witnessed the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary along with their cousin Lucia. Both died as children in the influenza epidemic that followed World War I — Francisco in 1919 at age ten, and Jacinta in 1920 at age nine. They were canonized by Pope Francis on May 13, 2017, becoming the youngest non-martyr saints in the Church's history.
Though they were only children, Francisco and Jacinta gave themselves completely to prayer and quiet sacrifice, offering their sufferings with a trust far beyond their years. They show that holiness has no minimum age, and that a child's simple, wholehearted love can reach the very heart of God. Their short lives remind us that heaven is close to little ones, and that no life is too brief to be full of grace.
Saints Francisco and Jacinta, little shepherds who loved Our Lady, pray for all children who suffer, and help us trust God with the simple hearts of children. Amen.